Electric light for magnetic attachment to automobiles



July l2, 1949.. 1 G-ooDRlcH 2,475,958 ELECTRIC LIGHT FOR MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT TO AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 26, 1948 I 2 SheQtS-Sheet l il: [VW/42 v IN VEN TOR. l wu/Jy Alawaaaiff July 2 1949, l.. GOODRICH ELECTRIC LIGHT FOR MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT TO AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 26, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. @@If pana/a4 BY 0L Patented July 12, 1949 R MAGNETIC 'ATTACH- MENT T AUTOMOBILES ELECTRIC LIGHT "FO Lnuis Goodrich, Hackens ack, N. J., assignor `to The Louis Goodrich Corporation, Hackensack, N. J .,.a corporation o'f NewJersey Application February 26, 1948, Serial No. `111;'151

=6\Claims.

"This invention relates'to portableelectric lights 'and has particular Areference to a light of said 'character adaptedlto 'be -attached'magnetically to a metal partof fanautomobileor the'like soasto provide illuniination for making repairs at night 'and which also emits an 'intermittent vcaution or 'safety light l'for approaching 'vehicles "The invention has in View a `novel arrangement `for :emitting an intermittent colored light "and a continuous `-brig`ht or White light 'together IWith an electro-'magnet adapted for vattachment to a metal Ipart of `an'automoble or 'the like with -the intermittent colored llight 'providing illumination visible from a 'distance landvvith the continueus 'bright or White light having its rays directed downwardly for Eillurriin'atin'g"the Work.

, vThe lim/en'tioniuas vfora furtherobject the -provision of a 'casing providing amounting for `the operating parts and with conductor elements arranged in the casing for facilitating 'the removal fan-d 'replacement o'f the parts.

'The Iinvention also resides -vin'the provision'of 1a transparent -`:colored housing removably vassociated "With Ethe casing and 4'adapted to enclose `lthe flights With fa fbottom :outlet lfor emitting "Ibrig'ritxor White llighttherethroug'h.

'With the lforego'ing :and :other objects in View, :reference 'risnpw made to the .following vspeciiica- Ltion and vaccompanying fdrawings in 'which the fpreferred fenibodimen't Eof `the 'invention ;is .illus- 'lt-rated.

sFig. :l :is 'a iview fin front ielevation :of van electric light zfgor magnetic attachment .to automolfbiles .constructed .in vaccordance `with the :invenftion.

Fig. .2 is 'fa 'View 'inside elevation thereof.

33 :is a rear view ,of thefsame-W'ith thefrear A'hovering panel removed.

.'Eig. 4 is 1a vertical sectional View taken a'p- .proximatelyon .line 'fi-#4 "of :Fig 1.

Fig. `5 isla horizontal sectional View taken 'ap- 'qiroximatelyaon line 5-45 of Eig. f3.

Fig. 6 is a Wiringfdiagram showingwthe electric releinents 'and vcircuits Yof the device.

'Referring :to lthe drawings Y'by characters -zof zreference, --the device includ-es `Aa ibase :or casing Hi fashioned of synthetic `plastic -material 1er 'other equivalent insulation fmaterial :and which casingfis of rectangular formationinverticakand .horizontal vcross-:sectional .configuration v,and is provided withrectangular shapedrecesses I If-and iI2 lfad-jacent the :opposite :ends thereof iand with a -circular .recess lle .and -a rectangular ,recess IHl rlocatedintermedi-atethezrecesseslI andlZ. "The .and with the exception lering relation Awith fthe recesses 1l,

'.protrudes through lthe opening :end to the inner lface Lof vedge 24% i2! in. the panel 1.5 :may

:duced circular apertures to `position the lugs the rectangular recess said .recesses Aopen throu h therrear of l.the vcasing ofthe circular recess `I3 arec'losediby a'berzpanel I5. The casing yisgprevided with a peripheral'rim I6 :Within which the panel i5 isarranged andzsecured therein in cov- -|2 and I4 by screws il.

Located in'the icircular recess |13 eis anelectromagnet i8 consisting nf `anironcasing having a forward Wall i9 .and an Yannular :rim 20 `which 2| in the `panel l5. Arranged Within fthe casing yis a coil 2-2 wound -on an iron 'core .secured at its :inner -the=front-wall I9 of said casing. When the coil .22 is energized the annular rim 1Z0 :becomes magnetized so that the thereof protruding 'through the opening be magnetically .secured to an iron vor steel part of :a vehicleifor supporting fthe device thereon.

The vrecesses :lil :and l2 :are vprovided .with re- 25 'and y2li respectively which open through the `front Wall 2J of the casing Tforming sockets :for irece'iving `lamp bulbs 28 Atheir yinner ends -with arcuate recesses .35 in the 'inner face of the front Wall `2l through which slots ythe 'lugs 3S :of the lamp :bulbs rare slidable :so that when the :bulbs :are arranged in the apertures 25 and .26 respectively they may be rotated 35 in 'the recesses 35. terminals 3D .and 3l are affixed to the inner taceof `tlfiefront wall 2-1 `oi the casing in the recess H 'andare respectively connected 'with a 'conductorribbon 3'8-arranged in a slot 40 andwith a terminal xpostf. Aiconductor ribbon 3l located ina slot 391s provided'with a terminal 1li l arranged at.one :end ofthe :rectangular recess li and Ahasits extreme lower end :projecting into therecess l2 and1disposedagainst one `-end thereof with the opposite end of the ribbon secured to the inner end of a terminal :post 42 protruding through Athe end vvwall of vthe casing. The conductor ribbon 3B vextends from the slot 40 into -M and is 4provided with `a against the -end wall of the recess t4 o'ppositely disposed from the terminal ffii and in transverse .alignment therewith.

The spring terminals v,32 and `33 are .affixed vto The spring terminal lf3 .located The circular recess I3 is provided Awith lateral-Y ly extending recesses 41 and 48 which communicate with the slots 39 and 45 so as to expose the conductor wires 31 and 44. The ends of the coil 22 of the electro-magnet I8 extend through the recesses 41 and 48 and lare connected with the conductor ribbons 31 and 44 respectively for connecting the coil in `circuit therewith.

The lamp bulb 28 is intermittently operated by means of a switch element 49 of the usual bimetallic type located in the rectangular recess I4 and having metallic caps 5I) and 5I which are engaged by coiled springs 52 and 53 tensioned against the terminals 4I and 43 of the conductor ribbons 31 and 33 for resiliently supporting the switch in position between said conductor terminals and for establishing electrical contact therewith.

The terminal posts 42 and 46 are in the form of jacks for receiving terminal plugs 54 and 55 secured to the free ends of conductor cords 56 1 and 51 for establishing electrical connection vwith a source of current supply such as the battery of a 'motor vehicle, the conductor cords 56 and 51 being suitably provided with means for plugging into terminals on the dashboard of the vehicle or into the usual cigarette lighter thereon.

Constructed in this manner the upper light bulb 28 which is located adjacent the top of the casing will be 'actuated intermittently while the lower light -bulb 29 will emit a continuous light and the electro-magnet will be continuously energized so as to retain the device in position on a metal part of the vehicle.

Mounted on the forward face of the casing is a transparent colored light bulb housing 59 having a reduced upper portion 5o and an enlarged lower portion 6I provided with an outwardly ilared` front wall 462 and an open lower end 53. The upper and lower portions @Il and BI of the housing are provided with inturned side'edges I64 and 65 respectively which are slidable in grooves 66 and 31 formed in the side edges of the outwardly projecting medial portion 68 and in the side edges of the casing respectively for slidably disposing the housing in position on the casing in covering relation with the lamp bulbs. The housing is formed with a rearwardly projecting lug 35 through Iwhich is adapted to be inserted a screw 1E for securely vfastening the housing to the casing. The housing is fashioned of synthetic plastic material or other equivalent transparent material and the same is red in color so as to provide a warning light to approaching vehicles and the like, while the open lower end A63 permits of the emission of white light so as to constitute a work light for making repairs to the vehicle at night.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device of the character described, a oas- `ing constructed of insulation material having independent recesses opening through one face thereof and openings extending through the forward face of said casing and into two of said recesses respectively, contact members located at the inner ends of said openings forming electric sockets for receiving electric light bulbs, conductor elements embedded in said casing and connected with the contact members of said electric sockets, a .bi-metallic switch located in another of said recesses and connected with one of said conductor elements in circuit with one of the electric sockets, said switch being adapted for interrupted engagement for interrupting the circuit with said electric socket for causing an alternate flashing of the light bulb disposed therein, and a transparent colored housing secured on n the lforward face of said casing in covering relation with the light bulbs disposed in said sockets and said casing having an open lower end for emitting a downwardly directed continuous light from one of said light bulbs and said alternate flashing through the upper portion of said housing providing a warning light.

2. In a device of the character described, a casing constructed of insulation material having independent recesses opening through one face thereof and openings extending through the forward face of said casing and into two of said recesses respectively, Contact members located at the inner ends of said openings forming electric sockets therewith for receiving electric light bulbs, an electro-magnet located in another of said recesses and having an annular wall protruding Ithrough the rear of said casing for magnetically attaching the device to a metal part when the electro-magnet is energized, conductor elements embedded in said casing vand connected with said electric socket contact members and with said electro-magnet, and a transparent colored housing secured on the forward face of said casing in covering relation with said light bulbs and having an open lower end for emitting a downwardly directed light from one of said bulbs 1;; having longitudinally extending grooves in the opposite side portions thereof and a transparent colored housing having inturned side edges slidably engaged in said grooves for securing the housing on the forward face of said casing in covering relation with the light bulbs disposed in said sockets, and lower end for emitting a downwardly directed light therethrough and a warning colored light through the upper portion of said housing.

4. In a device of the character described, a casing constructed of insulation material having independent recesses opening through one face thereof and openings extending through the forward face of said casing and into two of said recesses respectively,` grooves extending longitudinally in the rear face of said casing and opening into said recesses, conductorelements arranged in said grooves and projecting into said recesses, contact members arranged in said recesses at the inner ends of the openings through the forward face of said casing and connected with said conductor elements, said casing having grooves extending into said openings through the forward face thereof for receiving electric light bulbs in engagement with said contact members, an electro-magnet located in another of said recesses and arranged substantially medially of the casing for magnetically attaching the device to a metal part when the electro-magnet is energized, said casing having longitudinally extending said casing having an open l grooves in the opposite side portions thereof and a transparent colored housing having inturned side edges slidably engaged in said grooves for securing the housing on the forward face of said casing in covering relation with the light bulbs disposed in said sockets, and said casing -having an open lowei end for emitting a downwardly directed light therethrough and a warning colored light through the upper portion of said housing.

5. In a device of the character described, a casing constructed of insulation material having openings extending through the forward face of said casing and into the hollow interior thereof, contact members located at the inner ends of said openings forming electric sockets therewith for receiving electric light bulbs, conductor elements connected with the contact members of said electric socket, a bi-metallic switch located within said casing and connected with one of said conductor elements in circuit with one of the electric sockets, said switch being adapted for interrupted engagement for interrupting the circuit with said electric Socket for causing an alternate ashing of the light bulb disposed therein, and a transparent colored housing secured'on the forward face of said casing in covering relation with the light bulbs disposed in said sockets and said casing having an open lower end for emitting a downwardly directed continuous light from one of said light bulbs and said alternate flashing through the upper portion of said housing providing a warning light.

6. In a device of the character described, a casing constructed of insulation material having openings extending through the forward face thereof and into the hollow interior of said casing, contact members located at the inner ends of said openings forming electric sockets therewith for receiving electric light bulbs, an electromagnet located within said casing and having an annular wall protruding through the rear thereof for magnetically attaching the device to a metal part when the electro-magnet is energized, conductor elements connected with said electric socket contact members and with said electromagnet, and a transparent colored housing secured on the forward face of said casing in covering relation with said light bulbs and having an open lower end for emitting a downwardly directed light from one of said bulbs and a colored light through the upper portion of said housing.

LOUIS GOODRICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,951,431 Meehan Mar. 20, 1934 2,165,562 Mack et al July 11, 1939 2,224,742 Muldoon Dec. 10, 1940 

